13-6-2024 (TOKYO) In a deeply concerning development, Japan is facing an unprecedented surge in cases of a potentially deadly disease caused by “flesh-eating” bacteria. According to the National Institute for Infectious Diseases, a staggering 977 cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) have been recorded in the first half of 2024 alone, marking an all-time high since record-keeping began in 1999.
This alarming figure surpasses the total number of cases reported in the entirety of 2023, which stood at 941, underscoring the rapid escalation of the problem. The nation’s capital, Tokyo, has emerged as a hotspot, with 145 cases recorded so far this year, the highest among all prefectures.
STSS, a severe and life-threatening illness, is caused by group A streptococcal bacteria, commonly known as the “flesh-eating” bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. While an estimated 5 to 20 percent of adults carry this bacteria without exhibiting symptoms, it can lead to devastating consequences when transmitted through respiratory droplets, direct contact, or open wounds on the hands and feet.
Initially presenting with flu-like symptoms such as nausea and fever, STSS can rapidly progress to sepsis, a potentially fatal condition that can lead to organ failure and death. The mortality rate associated with this disease is alarmingly high, with Colin Michie, a medical researcher from the University of Central Lancashire in the U.K., stating that it “can range from 5 percent in younger patients who have been admitted quickly to intensive care, to up to 70 percent in the elderly.”
Ken Kikuchi, a professor of infectious diseases at Tokyo Women’s Medical University, painted an even grimmer picture, revealing to the Japanese newspaper The Mainichi that elderly patients can succumb to the infection within a mere 48 hours of contracting it.
While cases have been recorded across all 47 prefectures in Japan, the National Disease Institute reported that “infections of more virulent and contagious strains of the bacterium are increasingly being reported, particularly in the Kanto region centring on Tokyo.” Experts are scrambling to determine the underlying causes behind this sharp rise in diagnoses, with some speculating that it may be a consequence of Japan’s relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions.
Kikuchi, expressing grave concern, told The Guardian, “I am very concerned about the dramatic rise in cases.” The implications of this outbreak are far-reaching, as Japan grapples with the challenge of containing the spread of this potentially lethal disease and safeguarding the health and well-being of its citizens, particularly the elderly and vulnerable populations.
